OSCE PA Pres. Pia Kauma and Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan in Yerevan, 17 November 2023YEREVAN, 17 November 2023 – At the end of a three-country tour of the South Caucasus, OSCE Parliamentary Assembly President Pia Kauma (Finland) today held a number of high-level meetings in Yerevan. Reiterating messages delivered to leaders of Azerbaijan earlier this week, the OSCE PA delegation underlined the importance of Armenia reaching a full settlement with Azerbaijan. Kauma welcomed the willingness that Armenia has expressed in this regard, and stressed that it will require sustained political attention.

“It is important to maintain momentum in the peace process and for Armenia and Azerbaijan to reach a full settlement,” President Kauma said today. “We recognize that the background is very painful, but despite the difficulties, this moment should be seen as an opportunity for all to forge a new path for the region based on peaceful co-existence, mutual security and economic prosperity.”

In Yerevan, Kauma and Secretary General Roberto Montella met with Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, President of the National Assembly Alen Simonyan, and Deputy Foreign Minister Vahe Gevorgyan. The OSCE PA delegation visited a shelter for refugees and also met with representatives of the International Committee of the Red Cross, and the Human Rights Defender of the Republic of Armenia, Anahit Manasyan.

During the meetings, Armenian interlocutors discussed the security challenges facing the country and emphasized the prospects for enhanced regional co-operation. They also described the government’s efforts to support refugees recently arrived from Azerbaijan and underlined the need to ensure that the rights of all refugees are respected.

Pia Kauma visits a refugee center in Yerevan, 17 November 2023“In these challenging times, all political leaders must be advocates for peace,” said Kauma at the end of the visit. “Normalizing relations with all key players in this region and seizing the opportunity for establishing a lasting peace will have positive consequences for all. The OSCE PA stands ready to work with all partners to ensure greater regional stability and co-operation.”

Kauma and Montella welcomed the intensified engagement in the OSCE PA by the Armenian Delegation, noting that Sargis Khandanyan – elected Vice Chair of the human rights committee at the 2023 Annual Session in Vancouver – is the first ever Bureau member from Armenia. They also thanked Armenia for hosting the 21st Autumn Meeting, which begins tomorrow in Yerevan.

The press releases for the previous two legs of the OSCE PA’s visit to the South Caucasus are available here and here.

For photos of the visit, please visit the OSCE PA’s Flickr page.